Arrayit Corporation, a manufacturer of products and services for disease prevention, treatment and cure, announced today that it is developing a microarray-based diagnostic test to detect the H1N1 swine flu virus.
The Arrayit test will allow researchers and clinicians to detect the presence of the virus in infected patients and livestock and to distinguish the threatening mutated strain from less harmful variants in humans and swine. Using its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, Arrayit plans to begin mass production of its test kits over the next several weeks. The H1N1 test kits will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for validation, then sold for emergency use by licensed clinics, laboratories and other health care organizations worldwide.
The 2009 swine flu outbreak has raised concerns at the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO). The CDC and WHO believe that the current outbreak poses a pandemic risk because the H1N1 flu virus contains genetic elements from both the swine and human influenza viruses, allowing direct human-to-human transmission without the need for agricultural contact. The dangerous 2009 strain has little immunity in the human population, resistance to several common anti-viral drugs, and has caused serious illness and death.
Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said, In the event of an emerging pandemic, the CDC-IRR (Influenza Reagent Resource) will serve as a source of reagents for qualified laboratories to provide additional support. During a pandemic, laboratories will play a critical role in detecting and confirming initial cases, characterizing viruses, monitoring the progression of the pandemic, and selecting vaccine strains. Scientists around the world are concerned that the influenza virus could one day mutate and acquire the properties needed to quickly spread between people, resulting in a pandemic.
"Arrayit's unique microarray platform allows the design, manufacture and distribution of H1N1 chip technology quickly and inexpensively, owing to the Company's unique and patented contact printing technology, versatile system architecture, and broad customer base. Our team is able to leverage the most sophisticated and accurate gene testing available on the market today to rapidly and affordably bring this H1N1 flu chip test to market," said Rene Schena, Chief Executive Officer of Arrayit Corporation.
